Chocolatier spreads festive cheer with masked Santas

Christmas confectionary with a 2020 twist

Location: Frankfurt, Germany

This confectioner is sweetening a gloomy advent

by cheering customers with his chocolate designs

(SOUNDBITE) (German) CUSTOMER (FIRST NAME NOT GIVEN) MUELLER, SAYING: "It's a jokey thing. But it also gets you in the mood for Christmas, when it probably will be cancelled everywhere. I like it."

(SOUNDBITE) (German) CONFECTIONER AND OWNER OF CONFECTIONARY SHOP "CONDIT COUTURE", JESCO MANN, SAYING: "We did this before with Easter bunnies and it was a big success. And that's what it's about, approaching this with a bit of a wink or tongue-in-cheek. And then we said that Santa has to wear a mask too - so we can have a bit of fun despite all the seriousness."